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Spin Direction
The direction of the breaking force generated by the spin and forward motion of the baseball.
What it is
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Spin Direction shows which way the ball is spinning as well as the direction of movement due to spin from the pitcher’s view. Spin Direction is expressed as the blue arrow on the Clockface. In the example above, a fastball from a right-handed pitcher, the Spin Direction is about 1:30. From the pitcher’s perspective, the lift force on the ball is pushing it up and to the right. For a righthanded pitcher throwing a curve ball, the Spin Direction would be closer to 7:00 as the ball is breaking down and to the left from the pitcher’s perspective.
Why it matters
Spin Direction gives an indication of the shape of the pitch you are throwing and Movement of the ball. Horizontal Spin Direction will create Horizontal Movement while vertical Spin Direction will create Vertical Movement. The Spin Direction is one of the most important factors in determining pitch type. Fastballs have Spin Direction near the Arm Slot. A Spin Direction below the Arm Slot will typically create sink / run while a Spin Direction above the Arm Slot can create cut. As the Spin Direction gets even farther from the Arm Slot you can create breaking balls.
Spin Direction combined with Arm Slot can show whether a pitcher is keeping his hand behind a fastball for maximum velocity and Spin Efficiency. If the Clockface arrows are not aligned, then the pitcher’s fingers may be getting on the side of the ball and “cutting” his fastball. However, a cutter can be an effective pitch when thrown deliberately.
How to use it
Spin Direction is a major component of controlling Movement. Since the ball moves in the direction of the spin, changing the Spin Direction will shift Movement from more horizontal to vertical or vice versa. For example, with a fastball you can create more ride by moving the Spin Direction towards 12:00 or more arm side run by moving Spin Direction towards 3:00 (or 9:00 for a left-handed pitcher). When throwing breaking balls such as a curveball or slider, a pitcher can see whether the ball is breaking in the desired direction.
If a pitcher is working to increase the velocity or Movement on their fastball it can sometimes be effective to work on staying behind the ball. The Spin Direction arrow on the Clockface can be an effective tool to guide you towards this result.
